Worried
by Mercury-Moon-7490195
Summary: He had raced to the station as soon as he had heard Cecil leave the booth, and arrived too late. Cecil had already changed. Cecil/Carlos Spoilers for episode 29: Subway.


"Cecil? CECIL?!" Carlos pushed past the intern-less desk, throwing himself against the locked door. The man at the switchboard-_Cecil, it had to be Cecil-_held up a hand, pointed at the figure standing beside him, and tapped his headphones softly before leaning closer to the mic. Carlos scrambled for the intern's headset, clasping it tightly to his ear.

"-It reads: "Because of construction all subway service is suspended until further notice. For your convenience, free shuttle buses will be provided. At the moment of greatest despair and hopelessness, when you least expect it, a shuttle bus will come to you. Thank you for your patience."  
Cecil paused, still not turning from the switchboard.

"The future of urban planning is here, Night Vale, and like our own imminent futures, it is buried in the earth."

_Just say good night and sign off! _Carlos thought angrily, his knuckles clenched on the back of the intern's chair. _I swear to God-_

"Stay tuned next for a swarm of flies circling a hot mic. And as always... Goodnight, Night Vale.  
Goodnight."

He let the outro play for a moment before he flicked a switch, fading out. The ON AIR sign flickered off, as his arm fell to his side, his posture slumping. As he stood, he snapped his fingers once, the door unbolting with a sharp click.

"Cecil," Carlos cried, knocking the door back on its hinges as he grabbed the radio host by the shoulders, spinning him around to face him. "What the fuck did you think you were doing?!"

Cecil tutted him softly. "Not in front of the children," he murmured, jerking his head towards the figure still standing beside the desk. The faceless child stared up at them blankly, sending a chill of unease down Carlos' spine. He shooed the child out the door, slamming it in what should have been the child's face.

"I told you. I _expressly _told you not to go down there. I told you it was dangerous! What part of DNA-draining didn't you understand?! What part of "people are not coming back"...that could have been you!"

"I couldn't _not _report the facts," Cecil said flatly. "I have a duty to my listeners, to Night Vale, to tell them what was going on. I was alone...I had no choice."

"No choice," Carlos echoed, running frantic, frustrated fingers through his hair. "No choice, Cecil, you _always _had a choice! You don't have to put your own life on the line for your work, for fuck's sake-Night Vale puts you in danger enough when you're off the clock. That isn't enough for you?!"

"Not when my journalistic integrity demands it, no."

Something wild and angry slithered through Carlos' gaze. He grabbed Cecil once more, pointing him towards the darkened window. "Look at yourself, Cecil! Look where your journalistic integrity has gotten you!"

Cecil stared at himself in the window's reflection, his expression unreadable. His skin seemed faded, somehow, as if the face that stared back existed more as a black-and-white photograph than his own reflection. The shadows under his eyes were more pronounced than ever, the irises above them barely their usual purple. They were replaced by a milky white ring around both pupils, tinted with just the faintest hint of lavender. His hair had grown slightly longer and turned white, clutching at his scalp and falling raggedly around his neck.

"It's different," he murmured, running a hand through his newly altered hair.

Carlos gaped at him. "Different?! That's all you can say?!"

Cecil shrugged. "It doesn't really matter, in the end," he murmured. "Nothing really matters, Carlos." He stared off into space, his eyes misting over. "I saw it. All of it. Everything. Everything cancels out everything else, in the end." Cecil looked up at him, cracking a sad, drained-looking smile. "I was gone for so long, Carlos...and I saw so much..." He reached out his hand, caressing the side of Carlos' face. "I've missed you for so long, my love."

Carlos relaxed under his touch, covering Cecil's hand with his own. His skin was cold, though not deathly so.

"Every day, even through everything we saw down there, you were still there, in the back of my mind. That's why I got off the subway, eventually. I knew I had to find you, come back to you, because we have so little time...so little time...and I can't waste that anymore."

Carlos pulled him into his arms, pressing his lips to his forehead. Words stuck in his throat as Cecil's fingers clutched at the back of his shirt, almost clinging to him like a life-preserver. "I missed you too," he murmured, closing his eyes and holding him a little tighter. "Come with me back to the lab...we can figure this out, get you all fixed up. You might have to stay with me for a few days-"

"I wouldn't mind that," Cecil said quietly, burying his face in Carlos' chest. "It wouldn't make me forget everything, would it?"

"I don't know," Carlos said. "Do you want to forget?"

"I don't know. Maybe. Probably not." He looked up, and met Carlos' gaze, smiling a little wider this time. "For now I just want to be with you...that's all that matters."

Carlos nodded. "We can do that," he murmured. "Just promise me one thing."

"Hm?'

"Next time you decide to put your life on the line for work, try not to go it alone, alright? Or at least wait for me to get there?" He ruffled Cecil's hair affectionately, smiling. "It'll worry me less if I'm at least risking my life _with _you."

Cecil laughed, softly. "I might be able to manage that. Maybe. We'll just have to see, now won't we?"


End file.
